HOCKEY

HOCKEY; Maple Leafs' Domi Draws Suspension For Rest of Playoffs

By JOE LAPOINTE

Published: May 5, 2001

When the Devils meet the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Continental Arena for Game 5, each team will be without a significant player for different reasons that are intertwined. The Maple Leafs will not have Tie Domi, their aggressive right wing, who was suspended yesterday by the National Hockey League for at least the remainder of the Stanley Cup tournament.

The Devils will not have Scott Niedermayer, their talented defenseman, who was the victim of Domi's unprovoked attack Thursday night during Toronto's 3-1 victory that tied the Eastern Conference semifinal series at two victories each. Domi elbowed Niedermayer in the head and knocked him unconscious with seven seconds remaining in Thursday's game at the Air Canada Center.

''Mr. Domi's actions have no place in our game and are being punished accordingly,'' Colin Campbell, the N.H.L. executive vice president and director of hockey operations, said in a statement. ''He has forfeited the privilege of further participation in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs.''

Should the Maple Leafs be eliminated in this four-of-seven-game series, Domi will also be suspended for the first eight games of next season, the league announced. Should the Maple Leafs advance beyond this round in the four-round tournament, Domi will not be suspended at the start of next season for this incident. Niedermayer did not attend yesterday's practice and will not play tonight, the team said.

Campbell, interviewed in Toronto, said Domi's attack on Niedermayer was ''beyond the bounds about as far as you can get,'' even by hockey's rugged standards. Campbell reviewed the incident yesterday with Domi and Pat Quinn, the Maple Leafs' coach and general manager, in a formal hearing at the league's branch office in Toronto.

''Tie was remorseful in the hearing,'' Campbell said, adding that Domi tried yesterday to contact Niedermayer.

Niedermayer traveled home on the team charter Thursday night, then went to a New Jersey hospital for tests. Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello said Niedermayer was resting at home yesterday. Although Lamoriello did not use the word concussion to describe Niedermayer's injury, Campbell used the term.

Campbell also said Domi's attitude changed after he learned of his suspension in the late afternoon. ''He got past the remorseful part for now and he was dealing with his own situation,'' Campbell said. ''He was considerably upset, and I don't blame him. Every boy has a dream to win the Stanley Cup, especially in his hometown.'' Domi is a Toronto native.

The incident occurred near the end of a rough game, in which Domi had been penalized early for tripping and for roughing. As the game continued, Domi played well and hard. He is a popular player with Toronto fans, in part because of his willingness to check, fight and entertain. Domi was involved in several legal collisions with Devils players, including three checks shortly before the incident with Niedermayer that occurred with Toronto on a power play.

Although Domi does not usually play in those situations, Quinn chose to use him. The fans had been on their feet for several minutes, cheering the gritty victory of their team, which is an underdog in this series. With the puck in a different part of the ice, Domi skated by the unsuspecting Niedermayer near the Maple Leafs' bench and hit him in the head with his left elbow.

The play continued at the other end of the ice while one referee, Paul Devorski, stood over Niedermayer. When play stopped, Devorski motioned for medical personnel.

Niedermayer remained on the ice for several minutes before being carried from the ice on a stretcher. After a few minutes in the first-aid room, he walked to the dressing room. His teammates were angered by Domi's actions, but they tempered their words both after the game on Thursday and after practice yesterday.

Scott Stevens responded yesterday to a charge by Quinn that he had done a worse thing by hitting Toronto's Darcy Tucker with the butt end of his stick earlier in the series. ''It's a smoke screen,'' he said. ''It's an embarrassment.'' Campbell said that Quinn, who also raised that complaint at the hearing, has a right to his opinion.

Campbell, in a conference call last night with reporters, also said the hearing included allegations by the Devils, passed on to league officials Thursday after the game, that Domi had threatened to hurt Niedermayer earlier in the series, in part because of an unpenalized high-sticking incident resulting in a cut.

Campbell said accusations regarding threats are like those involving racial slurs and that no conclusion could be drawn because there were no neutral people who heard the alleged threats. Campbell said the Maple Leafs had the right to appeal Domi's suspension, but he did not know whether they would. The Maple Leafs did not return telephone messages requesting comment.

According to Campbell, Domi said during the hearing that he feared Niedermayer was going to raise his stick to menace him.

Although Domi has been heavily penalized throughout his 12-year career, and was involved in a similar incident that gave Ulf Samuelsson a concussion, Campbell said of Domi: ''He's not known as a dirty player. He's known as a hard hitter. He did cross a line. He more than crossed it. He did some damage to the New Jersey player and perhaps the New Jersey organization.''

Photo: Tie Domi, joined by the Maple Leafs executives Pat Quinn and Ken Dryden, arriving for a league hearing. (Reuters)